title: The Child PTSD Symptom Scale: an update and replication of its psychometric properties.
abstract: The psychometric properties of the child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS) were examined in 2 samples. Sample 1 (N = 185, ages 6-17 years) consisted of children recruited from hospitals after accidental injury, assault, and road traffic trauma, and assessed 6 months posttrauma. Sample 2 (N = 68, ages 6-17 years) comprised treatment-seeking children who had experienced diverse traumas. In both samples psychometric properties were generally good to very good (internal reliability for total CPSS scores = .83 and .90, respectively). The point-biserial correlation of the CPSS with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis derived from structured clinical interview was .51, and children diagnosed with PTSD reported significantly higher symptoms than non-PTSD children. The CPSS demonstrated applicability to be used as a diagnostic measure, demonstrating sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 72%. The performance of the CPSS Symptom Severity Scale to accurately identify PTSD at varying cutoffs is reported in both samples, with a score of 16 or above suggested as a revised cutoff.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Flinders University.
authors.forename: Reginald D V
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Nixon
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meiser-Stedman
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dalgleish
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yule
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perrin
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology